The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-08-18

and saw the burning bridge under the
front platform. Men with axes chopped
down the abutments so as to kill the
flames. The fire evidently caught in the
east end of the bridge, and was working
down in the old stringers used for bulk
heads. Orders were issued by him to the
road master to burn dead grass and weeds.
i. Il, Marketry, bridge inspector, on
May H. reported the bridge in good con-
dition and good for two years. Tuesday
last he ordered the section men to go over
the entire section under their charge, and
inspect the bridges. He did this for fear
of forest fires. He ordered all section
men to go over their section the last thing
Wednesday night, and examine the
bridges. His track is good for forty-five
miles per hour. The road is in fine con-
dition-steel rails with fish bars. The
investigation will be resumed at Peoria
in the early part of next week.
THE ooRoNER's TESTIMONY.
CHATswoRTH, ILL.,, August 1.-THE ooro-
Ter continued the investigation to-day.
The engineer and fireman testified as
before the railroad commissioner.
A. Il. Dolph, farmer residing near the
bridge, saw smoke about 8 p. m, and
fire about s p. m. thought they were on
the other side of the track. j. E. Brown
saw the fire from the depot and watched
it from 8 to IL p. m.
William Hallen and son, of ChGtsworth,
testified that while standing at the depot
at o'clock Wednesday evening, they saw
a fire on the track out east. At 8 O'Clock
the fire was still burning.
Julia Keopta, of Chatsworth, also saw
the fire about the same time. All thought
it was a locomotive headlight, Three
section men testified last night that on
Wednesday evening, they burned the grass
east of the bridge, from the county line
to within forty rods of the structure, and
west of that point the grass had been
burned already, so that the fire which was
left smoking at o'clock could not have
communicated to the bridge.
ITEMS AND INCIDENTS.
CHICAGO, August 13.-A special from
Chatsworth says: Although up to thu
present the dead, including the body re
covered from the wreck late last night
number not more than n, there i
reasonable room for the belief that Their
have been deaths, perhaps half dozen
resulting from the tragedy which canno
be definitely reported, owing to the con
fusion and lack of system when the bodies
, we're being taken away. Neither can
+ full list of the wounded be presented tt
the public, for scores whose injuries wer'
light enough to permit them took traln
at Chatsworth, or Piper City, at the frs
, opportunity and went nome at once
An official list of the wounded who hat
, been cared for here and in Piper Git.
does not at present show more thai
one hundred victims, but there is no doub
whatever that many more were wounded
Notwithstanding the details are not ant
cannot be put in writing. During tn
morning the condition of the six wounde
a in the town hall here has changed consld
q erably for the worse. Mortiiicatian ha
!. set in, in most cases, and physicians fea
v that, of the six, only two can recover
q These two are Mrs. Hazen and her siste1
: Miss Alien, of Iowa. Adam Schaum
h berger, of Peoria, and young Walters, of
a college in New York, are not expected
live over the week. III. p. Bonds cond
!. ton is equally precarious, whils for Mr.
=, Clark, of Ohio, there is absolutely no hope
a YESTERDAY AT oHATswoRTH.
r A special from ChatsWortn, LIE, says
Much of the excitement which prevaile
: in this city for the past three days ha
!, died out. All the dead, whether ldentifie
9 or not, have been shipped away. The III
l, identified are being held at Peoria. l
Y addition to the dead, all the wounded, abb
y to be moved, except those in privat
5, houses, have been taken from here to Pc
d oria. Seven yet remain this morning
Or the building used as city hall and engir
" house. Three of them, it was know
d would certainly die, with possibly fourtl
ID One of these, Mrs. Valdess, of Peoria, WI
ly was enormously reported dead, last nigh
e died this morning. Few wounded have
a yet been removed from the hospital
Piper City. 1t had been the intention
" take those who were able yesterday, b,
BY owing to misunderstanding, this was n
ii done. Superintendent Armstrong will q
g. tend to that some time to-day. A repo
ed was received from them this morning, al
improvement is noted in the condition
ay most of them. Two, however, are past
ly hope.
gs "